What does the bible teach concerning the God we serve? Is He One or Multiple persons(many)??
All the scriptures will be shared to help the individual reader about God. This room is not for Debate,We are here to share God's Word in Love and in Truth. Please Refrain from personal attacks. AGAIN THIS ROOM IS FOR SINCERE SEEKERS OF THE ONE TRUE GOD. We must maintain A right spirit,and behave like true Christians edifying in the Word of God and Loving One another. Thank you for your interest in in Learning the Bible . God Bless you.




"Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD" (Deuteronomy 6:4).

"God is one" (Galatians 3:20).

There is one God. There is only one God. This doctrine is central to the Bible message, for both the Old Testament and the New Testament teach it plainly and emphatically. Despite the simplicity of this message and the clarity with which the Bible presents it, many who believe in the existence of God have not understood it. Even within Christendom many people, including theologians, have not comprehended this beautiful and essential message. Our purpose is to address this problem, and to affirm and explain the biblical doctrine of the oneness of God.

Monotheism Defined

The belief in only one God is called monotheism, which comes from two Greek words: monos, meaning alone, single, one; and theos, meaning God. Anyone who does not accept monotheism can be classified as one of the following: an atheist who denies the existence of God; an agnostic - one who asserts that the existence of God is unknown and probably unknowable; a pantheist - one who equates God with nature or the forces of the universe; or a polytheist - one who believes in more than one God. Ditheism, the belief in two gods, is a form of polytheism, and so is tritheism, the belief in three gods. Among the major religions of the world, three are monotheistic: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.

Within the ranks of those labelling themselves Christian, however, there are several divergent views as to the nature of the Godhead. One view, called trinitarianism, asserts that there are three distinct persons in the Godhead - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost - but yet one God.

Within the ranks of trinitarianism, one can discern two extreme tendencies. On the one hand, some trinitarians emphasize the unity of God without having a carefully developed understanding of what is meant by three distinct persons in the Godhead. On the other hand, other trinitarians emphasize the threeness of the trinity to the point that they believe in three self-conscious beings, and their view is essentially tritheistic.

In addition to trinitarianism, there is the doctrine of binitarianism, which does not classify the Holy Ghost as a separate person but asserts belief in two persons in the Godhead.

Many monotheists have pointed out that both trinitarianism and binitarianism weaken the strict monotheism taught by the Bible. They insist that the Godhead cannot be divided into persons and that God is absolutely one.

These believers in strict monotheism fall into two classes. One class asserts that there is only one God, but does so by denying, in one way or another, the full deity of Jesus Christ. This view was represented in early church history by the dynamic monarchians, such as Paul of Samosata, and by the Arians, led by Arius. These groups relegated Jesus to the position of a created god, subordinate god, junior god, or demigod.


The second class of true monotheists believes in one God, but further believes that the fulness of the Godhead is manifested in Jesus Christ. They believe that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are manifestations, modes, offices, or relationships that the one God has displayed to man. Church historians have used the terms modalism and modalistic monarchianism to describe this view as held by such early church leaders as Noetus, Praxeas, and Sabellius. (See Chapter 10 - ONENESS BELIEVERS IN CHURCH HISTORY.) In the twentieth century, those who believe in both the indivisible oneness of God and the full deity of Jesus Christ frequently use the term Oneness to describe their belief. They also use the terms One God and Jesus Name as adjectives to label themselves, while opponents sometimes use the misleading or derogatory designations "Jesus Only" and "New Issue." (The label "Jesus Only" is misleading because to trinitarians it implies a denial of the Father and the Holy Spirit. However, Oneness believers do not deny the Father and Spirit, but rather see Father and Spirit as different roles of the One God who is the Spirit of Jesus.)

In summary, Christendom has produced four basic views of the Godhead: (1) trinitarianism, (2) binitarianism, (3) strict monotheism with a denial of the full deity of Jesus Christ, and (4) strict monotheism with an affirmation of the full deity of Jesus Christ, or Oneness.

Having surveyed the range of human beliefs about the Godhead, let us look at what the Word of God - the Bible - has to say on the subject.

The Old Testament Teaches That There Is But One God

The classic expression of the doctrine of one God is found in Deuteronomy 6:4. "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD." This verse of Scripture has become the most distinctive and important statement of faith for the Jews. They call it the Shema, after the first word of the phrase in Hebrew, and they often quote it in English as "Hear, O Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD is one." (See also the NIV.) Traditionally, a devout Jew always tried to make this confession of faith just before death.

In Deuteronomy 6:5, God followed the announcement of the preceding verse with a command that requires total belief in and love for Him as the one and only God: "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." We should notice the importance which God attaches to Deuteronomy 6:4-5. He commands that these verses be placed in the heart (verse 6), taught to the children throughout the day (verse 7), bound on the hand and forehead (verse 8), and written on the posts and gates of houses (verse 9).

Orthodox Jews literally obey these commands today by binding tefillin (phylacteries) on their left forearms and on their foreheads when they pray, and by placing mezuzzah on their doors and gates. (Teffilin are small boxes tied to the body by leather straps, and mezuzzah are scroll-shaped containers.) Inside both types of containers are verses of Scripture handwritten in black ink by a righteous man who has observed certain purification rituals. The verses of Scripture usually are Deuteronomy 6:4-9,11:18-21, Exodus 13:8-10, and 13:14-16.

During a trip to Jerusalem, where we gathered the above information, [1] we attempted to buy tefillin. The Orthodox Jewish merchant said he did not sell tefillin to Christians because they do not believe in and have the proper reverence for these verses of Scripture. When we quoted Deuteronomy 6:4 and explained our total adherence to it, his eyes lit up and he promised to sell to us on the condition that we would treat the tefillin with care and respect. His concern shows the extreme reverence and depth of belief the Jews have for the concept of one God. It also reveals that a major reason for the Jewish rejection of Christianity throughout history is the perceived distortion of the monotheistic message.

Many other Old Testament verses of Scripture emphatically affirm strict monotheism. The Ten Commandments begin with, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7). God emphasized this command by stating that He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5). In Deuteronomy 32:39, God said there is no other god with him. There is none like the LORD and there is no God beside Him (II Samuel 7:22; I Chronicles 17:20). He alone is God (Psalm 86:10). There are the emphatic declarations of God in Isaiah.

"Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour" (Isaiah 43:10-11).

"I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God" (Isaiah 44:6).

"Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any" (Isaiah 44:8).

"I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself" (Isaiah 44:24).

"There is none beside me. I am the LORD and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:6).

"There is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:21-22).

"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me" (Isaiah 46:9).

"I will not give my glory unto another" (Isaiah 48:11; see also Isaiah 42:8).

"O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth" (Isaiah 37:16).

There is only one God, who is the Creator and Father of mankind (Malachi 2:10). In the time of the Millennial Reign, there shall be only one LORD with one name (Zechariah 14:9).

In short, the Old Testament speaks of God in terms of being one. Many times the Bible calls God the Holy One (Psalm 71:22; 78:41; Isaiah 1:4; 5:19; 5:24), but never the "holy two, the holy three," or the "holy many."

A common remark by some trinitarians about the Old Testament doctrine of the oneness of God is that God only intended to emphasize His oneness as opposed to pagan deities, but that He still existed as a plurality. However, if this conjecture were true, why did not God make it clear? Why have the Jews understood not a theology of "persons" but have insisted on an absolute monotheism? Let us look at it from God's point of view. Suppose He did want to exclude any belief in a plurality in the Godhead. How could He do so using then-existing terminology? What strong words could He use to get His message across to His people? When we think about it, we will realize that He used the strongest possible language available to describe absolute oneness. In the preceding verses of Scriptures in Isaiah, we note the use of words and phrases such as "none, none else, none like me, none beside me, alone, by myself," and "one." Surely, God could not make it plainer that no plurality whatsoever exists in the Godhead. In short, the Old Testament affirms that God is absolutely one in number.

The New Testament Teaches There Is But One God

Jesus emphatically taught Deuteronomy 6:4, calling it the first of all the commandments (Mark 12:29-30). The New Testament presupposes the Old Testament teaching of one God and explicitly repeats this message many times.

"Seeing it is one God which shall justify" (Romans 3:30).

"There is none other God but one" (I Corinthians 8:4).

"But to us there is but one God, the Father" (I Corinthians 8:6).

"But God is one" (Galatians 3:20).

"One God and Father of all" (Ephesians 4:6).

"For there is one God" (I Timothy 2:5).

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:19).

Again, the Bible calls God the Holy One (I John 2:20). There is one throne in heaven and One sits upon it (Revelation 4:2).

In subsequent articles we will explore New Testament monotheism in greater depth, but the above verses of Scripture are sufficient to establish that the New Testament teaches one God.

In this study you will find the whole Bible teaches a strict monotheism. God's people have always been identified with the one-God message. God chose Abraham because of his willingness to forsake the gods of his nation and his father and to worship the one true God (Genesis 12:1-8). God chastised Israel every time she began to worship other gods, and polytheistic worship was one of the main reasons that God finally sent her into captivity (Acts 7:43). The Savior came to the world through a nation (Israel) and through a religion (Judaism) in which the people had finally purged themselves of polytheism. They were thoroughly monotheistic.

Today, God still demands a monotheistic worship of Him. We in the church are heirs of Abraham by faith, and this exalted position demands that we have the same monotheistic faith in the God of Abraham (Romans 4:13-17). As Christians in the world we must never cease to exalt and declare the message that there is only one true and living God.

The Bible clearly teaches the doctrine of the oneness of God and the absolute deity of Jesus Christ. The early Christians believed this great truth, and many people have adhered to it throughout history. Although in the course of history trinitarianism became the predominant doctrine in Christendom, the Scriptures do not teach it. In fact, the Bible nowhere mentions or alludes to the word trinity, the phrase "three persons in one substance," or the phrase "three persons in one God." We can explain all the Scriptures in both testaments adequately without any need to resort to the doctrine of the trinity.

Trinitarianism contradicts and detracts from important biblical teachings. It detracts from the Bible's emphasis on God's absolute oneness, and it detracts from Jesus Christ's full deity. Trinitarian doctrine as it exists today did not develop fully and the majority of Christendom did not accept it fully until the fourth century after Christ.

Here are five specific ways in which the biblical doctrine of Christian monotheism differs from the presently existing doctrine of trinitarianism. (1) The Bible does not speak of an eternally existing "God the Son;" for the Son refers only to the Incarnation. (2) The phrase "three persons in one God" is inaccurate because there is no distinction of persons in God. If "persons" indicates a plurality of personalities, wills, minds, beings, or visible bodies, then it is incorrect because God is one being with one personality, will, and mind. He has one visible body - the glorified human body of Jesus Christ. (3) The term "three persons" is incorrect because there is no essential threeness about God. The only number relevant to God is one. He has many different roles, titles, manifestations, or attributes, and we cannot limit them to three. (4) Jesus is the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for Jesus is the revealed name of God in the New Testament (John 5:43; Matthew 1:21; John 14:26). Therefore, we correctly administer water baptism using the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38). (5) Jesus is the incarnation of the fulness of God. He is the incarnation of the Father (the Word, the Spirit, Jehovah) not just the incarnation of a person called "God the Son."

What is the essence of the doctrine of God as taught by the Bible - the doctrine we have labelled Oneness? First, there is one indivisible God with no distinction of persons. Second, Jesus Christ is the fulness of the Godhead incarnate. He is God the Father - the Jehovah of the Old Testament - robed in flesh. All of God is in Jesus Christ, and we find all we need in Him. The only God we will ever see in heaven is Jesus Christ.

Having said all of this, why is a correct understanding of and belief in this doctrine so important? Here are four reasons. (1) It is important because the whole Bible teaches it and emphasizes it. (2) Jesus stressed how important it is for us to understand who He really is the Jehovah of the Old Testament: "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:24). The word he is in italics in the King James Version, which indicates it is not in the Greek but was added by the translators. So Jesus called Himself the "I AM," the name Jehovah used in Exodus 3:14-15. Jesus was saying, "If you believe not that I AM, you shall die in your sins." It is not mandatory that a person have a thorough comprehension of all questions relating to the Godhead to be saved, but he must believe that there is one God and that Jesus is God. (3) The Oneness message determines the formula for water baptism - in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38). (4) Oneness teaches us how important the baptism of the Holy Ghost really is. Since there is only one Spirit of God, and since the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, Oneness shows us that we receive Christ into our lives when we are filled or baptized with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9).

Since the Bible so plainly teaches the oneness of God and the full deity of Jesus Christ, why is it obscure to many people, especially to those in Christendom? The answer is that it comes not merely through intellectual study but through divine illumination of the Scriptures. It comes through prayerful study, diligent searching, and intense desire for truth. When Peter made his great confession of the deity of Jesus, Jesus said, "Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 16:16-17). Therefore, if we want to understand the mighty God in Christ we must put away man's doctrines, traditions, philosophies, and theories. In their place we must put the pure Word of God. We must ask God to reveal this great truth to us through His Word. We must seek after His Spirit to illuminate His Word and to guide us into all truth (John 14:26; 16:13). It is not enough to rely on church dogmas, for church dogmas are only valid if they are taught in Scripture. We must go back to the Bible itself, study it, and ask God to illuminate it by His Spirit.

Colossians 2:8,9

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power."

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Bible plan of salvation is clear

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

39: For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts 2:38

APOSTOLIC HISTORY - BAPTISM IN JESUS NAME
PART #1

Acts2:38 has always been preached by a faithful witness until today!The Acts message to NorthAfrica and started North African Christianity. This message spread through all of Africa. (A.Neander,pp.71,79,132,424) It never perished.AD 46-50 Paue, et.al., evangelized Asia Minor and lower Europe. (Acts 15:14)AD 51 Paul preached on Mars Hill at Athens, Greece. (Acts 17:22)AD 50-60 Apostle Thomas indoctrinated Malabar, India with Acts 2:38 doctrine. (A.S. Atiya,pp. 53,261)AD 66-90 THEY WENT OUT FROM US, because they were not of us. (1 John 2:19;Jude 1-3). Most were apostate Greeks who had been seethed in Platonism, polytheism, mythologyand philosophy. Some could never understand monotheism.AD 90 CATHOLIC CHURCH starts. TRINITARIANISM invented. (L. Paine, pp.86,287). It was derived from Plato's celestial arithmetic. (L. Hogben, p.266). Tertullian twisted Plato'sTIMAEUS into his "TRINITAS." Here started the Trinity.AD 100.The Acts water baptism continued. (A. Neander,p.301) Tongues speaking continued. (W.Horton, pp. 71-75,150). They preached the Apostolic One God message. (Blunt, p. 440).AD 96-100 Apostle John died. He had carried on for Paul and evangelized the Roman world,Armenia, Malabar, Saxony, and Glastonbury.AD 117 Celtic missionaries spread Acts 2 over Western Europe. (A. Neander,p.49). Gospel preached in China. (Langer,p.537). Apostolics had Bibles. (Blunt,p.127).AD 157 MONTANISM amplified. (Blunt,pp.338,440). Montanist were One God tonguetalkers, Acts 2 Christians. Montanist were also called SABELLIANISM. (Blunt,PP.340,440). Montanism was alive as late as 1909 in Moravia. R.A. Knox, p.402).AD 180 THE NORTH AFRICAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH fought the Catholic system. (A.Neander,p.132;H.C. Frend, p.91)AD 175 Early ideas about purgatory, catechism, and confirmation seeped into Catholicism which was adopted from the Orphic cult. (Bernstein & Green,p. 78).AD 193 Emperor SEPTIMUS SEVERUS forbade any to join Apostolic Christianity orJudaism! (H. F. Frend,p 91).AD 200-300AD 200 Hundreds of thousands continued Holy Spirit tongues, gifts of the Spirit. ThisApostolic doctrine was in Europe, Eurasia, Asia, including China, and North Africa.(Heick,p.150;M.T. Kelsey,pp.40,41).AD 204 Basilides martyred because he preached Acts 2 message.AD 230 TERTULLIAN declared that tongues-speaking Monarchians outnumbered Catholics.(A. C. Mc Giffert,p.239).AD 240 MANI, born in Persia, baptized in Jesus Name and kept the feast of Pentecost. (Blunt,p.289;J.Laux,p.141).AD 275-300 MAMAS and DONATUS came on the theological scene. Donatism was of Sabellianism. In AD 350 this group had 400 churches. (L. Verduin,pp.30,258). QUOTE: "In the forms of some of the different sects (Montanist, Donatist, Sabellian, Arian, ect,.) the Monarchian controversy agitated the church of Rome...during the third century, and in thefourth, and called for the two great Councils of Nicea and Constantinople." (J.H.Blunt,P.332).AD 217-222 CALLISTUS devised the hail Marys, self-tortures and proclaimed himself:PONTIFF MAXIMUS. (O.W. Heick,p 101).AD 252 The Council of Cartage directed that newborn infants be baptized within 8 days.(N.C. Eberhardt,p 117).AD 300-400The major churches of the...East were of Apostolic origin." (A. S. Atiya)AD 320-340 WOLFLEIN (Little Wolf) was one of the greatest Apostolic preacher he translated the GOTHIC BIBLE. He was responsible for baptism of millions of Europeans inJesus Name. (H. Daniel-Rops,p.110). After the Nicean Council persecution was moreseverely levied against them. Only Apostolic Churches continued. (Neander,p. 126)AD 304 Emperor Diocletian killed Jesus Name people. One God Christians were martyredby Rome. (Martyrs Mirror, p.155).AD 313 CONSTANTINE became Emperor of all Rome. AD 325 he held the NICENECOUNCIL, the start of TRINITARIANISM.AD 361 Apostolic churches confiscated by Catholics of Constantinople. We have been duped into supposing Catholicism was dominant by AD 370. There was but a handful of them in Africa. (R.A. Knox,p.58).AD 390 Emperor Theodosius II killed 7000 Jesus Named Thessalonians. (Wm. Langer,p.129)AD 400-500Beyond the reach or Rome in outlying places such as Saxony, Netherlands, Languedoc,etc., there were whole organizations of Acts 2 Christians. (J.H. Blunt,p. 15).AD 502 The majority of people in W. European tribes had been baptized into the Name of Jesus. (H. Daniel-Rops, p.110)AD 540-670 Bede, "English History" p. 148, found one-God people throughout England.AD 431 COUNCIL OF EPHESUS (laux. p.154) The popes (199 of them) proclaimed Mary tobe the "MOTHER OF GOD." (E. Fodor, Turkey 1970, p.243).CATHOLICS BURN ALLEGED HERETICS! (J.B. Russell, p. 22).AD 453 Pentecostal glossolalists martyred by Pope Leo I, some were tongues speaking Priscillianists. (Roth, p.35).AD 476 ROMAN EMPIRE FELL! Rome could no longer lord over other nations. Vain historians wept and moaned over the fall of corrupt Rome. AD 476-1000 THE DARK AGES.AD 600-700Christianity was found in several Modalistic Monarchian organizations. These were generally referred to collectively as: CATHARI.AD 610 JESUS NAME WATER BAPTISM (Lambert, p. 62). The Jesus Christ water baptism was almost the only one in Frisia until AD 689. There were almost no Catholics. (J.Laux, p. 218).NOTE: For 526 years (since AD 37-42) Apostolic Celts in Britain had kept the 14th NISAN Passover! One God doctrine was the dominant religion by far. (E.T. Thompson, "Through theAges, pp. 106-108). The world has been duped into supposing Catholicism was the only religion there was.AD 662 MOSLEMS FOUGHT CATHOLICS. Islamism was strong. Muslims had the KORAN,their Holy Book. (Bernstein & Green, p. 172). Muslims in Spain were the Moors; and theyprotected Jews and other one God Christians from Catholic interest.AD 695 Jews were killed in Spain by the Catholics. The adult Jews were martyred in Spain by Catholic believers and children of the jews were seized and reared as Catholics! (C. Roth,p.127).AD 700-800Celtic-Gothic (Acts 2) Christianity infiltrate W. Europe. Apostolic Christianity was throughout the Eastern Hemisphere, from Frisia to China, in massive organizations which haddifferent names. Montanist, Donatist, Manichee, etc. There could have been more than 40 OneGod Apostolic organizations. It is amazing to find so many references concerning ancient OneGod Apostolic people and preachers. AD 730 Pope Zachary was forced to acknowledge that the Christ baptism was dominant.(J.B. Russell,pp.172-175)AD 717 Moslem armies besieged Constantinople. Moslems mocked at Rome's religious system and called it idol worship. (Wm. Langer,p. 158). War started. Moslems (Moors)defeated the Spaniards. This accounts for Catholic-Spanish hate for Moors and Jews. In1492 Spain regained power and then massed murdered Moors, Jews and Apostolics,6,000,000 is one figure. (C.Roth,p.123)AD 746-748 Great plagues struck. Cholera, diphtheria, struck and killed millions. ("Ency.Britannica, Vol. 17, Chicago,p.1141).AD 800-900The Catholic hierarchy slandered all others as, HERETICS! However, alleged heretics filled the lands.AD 800 Quote: "Donatism (Acts 2) was never absent from the medieval scene. It lasted for twelve centuries and it maintained the primitive Apostolic message." (L.Verduin, p.35).The 9th century had more Apostolics than any other. The following references prove this. (Z.Oldenbourg, pp. 29,41,255; J.B. Ressell, pp. 5-14, 172-178). During this period the Catholic system almost suffered total collapse. Apostolic preachers were everywhere.There weremore "false priest" as they were called who had been ordained in the Catholic system.(Russell, p. 174).AD 800 Vain kings like Pepin, Charles Martel, Charlemagne, etc., bowed to popes. (Wm.Langer, pp.150-155). Huge land grants were handed to the popes.Charlemagne conquered and confiscated for the Vatican; he made about 54 military campaigns against non-Catholic countries, 18 against Saxony alone. (Berstein & Green, p.200; E.T. Tompson, pp. 120-125). He then forced people into Catholicism.AD 858-867 Pope Nicholas admitted that Jesus Name baptism was the valid one! ("Enc.Britannica, 11th ed., Vol 3, pp. 365-366).AD 852-889 FEUDALISM STARTED. This is how Europe became Catholic. Rulers used Catholic armies to crush Bulgaria; that religion was forced upon Czechs and Slavics, etc. Jews were then massacred. (Bernstein & Green, p. 150-1; Laux, pp 275-288).AD 900-1000The Acts 2 churches continued to grow. GLOSSOLALIA, tongue-speaking, was called MYSTICISM, by some historians. (Russell, p. 172). There were divine miracles and gifts of theSpirit. We find that many organizations slandered as HERETICS.AD 923 Eugenia was baptized in Jesus Name.AD 925 Pelagius was baptized in Jesus Name.AD 980 Sympronius was baptized in Jesus Name. ("Martyrs Mirror," p. 256).SIMONY erupted. This denotes offices bought or sold for money or favors. Some popessold offices to the highest bidders. (Langer, pp. 215-217).AD 995-999 King OLAF I of Norway, martyred thousands and with military might became the "man" of the lord, and served him! Later the lord handed to the bishop legal rights to the lands.Thus lands passed on to the Vatican. (Wm. Langer, p. 204). About thesame time Catholic religion, was by power of the sword, imposed in Iceland andGreenland.AD 1000-1100The name Cathari gradually faded. Then was heard the name ALBIGENSES. Yet later,Albigensian gradually gave way to ANABAPTISM. Anabaptism simply means to re-baptize someone. The Anabaptist would re-baptize any one who was not baptized in Jesus Name.AD 1015 Russians were militarily forced into Catholic belief.

PART #2

Acts2:38 has always been preached by a faithful witness until now!AD 1029 Swedes were forced to take on Catholic belief.AD 1035 Danes were forced to take on Catholic belief.AD 1035 Salvic tribes were force to accept Catholic belief.AD 1095 THE CRUSADERS. The Crusaders slaughtered Slavics and Jews on the way to Jerusalem. They took Jerusalem, mass murdered the Muslims and butchered 90,000 Jews.(Berstein & Green p. 255) The Crusaders looted murdered and plundered. They spread venereal diseases all over the Mideast. Then the great PLAGUES broke out. In thatholocaust millions died!AD 1100-1200AD 1105 SCHOOLMEN men denied the Trinity.AD 1108 "MULTITUDES OF FREETHINKERS" This is what the Apostolics, that coveredthe land was called. Pentecostals in Europe numbered about 4,000,000. (Blunt, p. 15,35; J. B. Russell,pp 54-80) It is interesting how these authors, Blunt and Russell, smeared, slanderedthose people. They were called "Henricians." Russell referred to them on page 76 as,"Apostolic holiness." They preached "hell fire" sermons. They used the Christ water baptism.Glossolalia was a common trait.Waldo, of Lyons, France was one of the first that turned to Rome for doctrinal approval. He created a hybrid protestant religion. (Blunt, 617).Many Apostolics were put to death.One little girl was mocked and laughed at as she died in the flames, but would not give up her belief in one God. 7000 people referred to as pious witness of Jesus were martyred at Bourges. (J. H. Blunt, p. 412)AD 1121 COUNCIL of SOISSONS defended the Trinity attacked by the Schoolmen. (Blunt, p.36)AD 1147 St. Bernard of Clairvaux, France stated, "33% of the Catholics went to protestant conventicles!" (L. Verduin, p. 173)AD 1164 PETER WALDO appeared! This was the beginning of PROTESTANTTRINITARIANISM. WALDENSIANISM held Rome's Trinity. In 1179 Waldo's bishops went to Rome for approval. (Blunt, p.617). Waldo set the pattern for modern Trinitarian protestantreligion. Luther, Swingli, Menno, etc., followed.AD 1200-1300AD 1214 On July 27, the frightful happened. France's Catholic government gained control of Languedoc from the English. North France could, under Vatican orders, exterminate themighty numbers of Apostolics. The papal INQUISITION was unleased upon all non-Catholics. (E. T. Thompson, pp 157-160; Roth, p. 36; Bernstein & Green, pp. 255,302).ALBIGENSIANS MASSACRED. Who were the Albigensians that vain historians,suporting Rome, have so slandered? They were Holy Ghost filled, Jesus Named baptized,God fearing citizens who read their Bibles. They had ecclesiastical systems, schools and hospitals in over 1000 cities. (L. Verduin, pp. 106-115). They were driven out of their cities,then Catholic monasteries appeared. Many fled into Moravia.AD 1284 URSINUS OF ETHIOPIA, an Ethiopian scholar, declared that baptism into theName, Jesus Christ, alone was valid. This indicates that Philip's witness of the Eunuch yearsearlier was still working.A century of CATHOLIC MASS MURDER. The INQUISITION was set in motion. It was insanity, devised by insane minds at the Vatican. AUTO DE FEs (Act of Faith!)AD 1233 the Catholic Inquisition, a system of Catholic Tribunal Courts, was officially founded by Pope Gregory IX. It lasted until July 15, 1834. It's purpose was to punish theheretics and all persons guilty of any offence against Catholic orthodoxy. These Heretics should be deprived of the liberty of speech and that assemblies organized by heretics should be dissolved was the law. ("Ency. Britannica" 1950 Ed. Vol. 12, p. 377). The later part of the10th century until the beginning of the 12th there were numerous executions of heretics,either by burning or strangling, in France, Italy, and the Empire of England. Remember that the heretics are the one God Apostolic organizations who would not accept the church of Rome.C.S. Lovett, "Voice In The Wilderness" p. 9 said, "68,000,000, persons perished in theINQUISITION!" Most do not know that Adolf Hitler was a Catholic, and 6,000,000 Jews also perished under him and that canon law was again used. Canon law or body of laws islaws established by a church. It is a basis for judgment. This is consider to be the mostimportant part of the mass. I suggest those who are interested in learning more about thisawful time of INQUISITION check the Bibliography at the end of this study and review thelist of books listed there.AD 1300-1400AD 1300-1350 Anabaptist organizations (One God) sprang up in many places.AD 1300-1414 Gothic Bibles had been used. English Bibles were used in the early 15thcentury. Catholics burned all the Bibles they could fine. (L. Boettner, p. 89).AD 1312-1315 Apostolics were all over Eastern Europe.AD 1381-1383 John Wycliffe, a professor in the University of Oxford, worked intensely totranslate the English Bible. He preached against the countless atrocities of the Vatican. Hestated that the Bible alone, without tradition, was the sole rule of faith. In AD 1415, theCouncil of Constance condemned Wycliffe. In 1428 Wycliffe's bones were burned by papalcommand. (A. Curtis, "Christ History" p. 1985, p. 24). History records indicate multiplied of Apostolics alive during this century.AD 1303 Many histories describe the complete apostasy of the Vatican, it's popes as devils.AD 1391 JEWS MASSACRED IN SPAIN-EUROPE. On March 15, bishop Ferran Martinez started the anti-Jewish riot in Spain. It led to the great SPANISH INQUISITION. 50,000Jews and Moors were burned in Auto da Fes (Act of Faith), 800,000 more victimized. (CecilRoth, pp. 14-25).AD 1400-1500Most non-Catholics were still refereed to as ANABAPTIST. However, Anabaptist were neither Catholic or Protestant. This was pre-Reformation day.There were great numbers of Apostolic clergymen preaching Acts 2:38.AD 1420 Apostolic religion swept the land in spite of the Inquisition. It was estimated thatthere were 4,000,000 One God Christians during that period. Blunt wrote of them as "Streams of Heretics." (Blunt, p. 16). Bainton screamed, "They covered the land." (Bainton,p. 279). There were more than 40 Jesus Name Organizations during this period.The Roman Catholic Inquisition turned Europe into a holocaust. During this century billionsof dollars and millions of acres of land were seized from Jews, Moors and Anabaptist.Papal permission for SLAVERY was given to Prince Henry the navigator. (Bernstien &Green, p. 302; Wm. Lnager, pp. 486-504). Henry's captains began the slave trade by taking African Blacks to Portugal. Columbus introduced Black and Indian slavery into the Americas not American Southerners. Blame the Vatican for slavery. ("The Detroit News Aug.24,1970, Sec. A).AD 1460 Catholic Podebrad persecuted Apostolics. 400,000 pious Manichaeans (Acts 2Christians) fled into Bosnia (Knox, p. p. 81)AD 1469 FERDINAND and ISABELLA of Spain were married.They became the earth's greatest husband and wife team of Jew killers. After killing the Jews and confiscating theirproperty they became very wealthy. (Lea, p. 333; C. Roth, pp. 71-90). Could this be the way they financed Columbus in 1492?AD 1496-1500 Malabarese, of Malabar, India, (Acts 2:38 Christians) were massacred by Catholic Inquisitor Alvares Cabral. (A.S. Atiya, p. 359).AD 1500-1600This was unique century of religious history. Most think of Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli asclassical reformers. However they set the theological trend for the world's modern Protestant Trinity religions.AD 1517 On October 31 Luther nailed his Theses on the Palace Church door. Now the worldhad not only Catholic Trinitarianism but it also had Protestant Trinitarianism! However, there were still a lot of One God Christians around.AD 1520-1532 GLOSSOLALIA OUTBREAK. Apostolic Pentecostalism was all through Luther and Zwingli's Europe. (W. Horton, pp. 97-138).AD 1533 There were big organizations of Anti-Nicenes and Anti-Trinitarians. Some were classed as Salbellians. (G. H. Williams, p. 663).AD 1553 MICHAEL SERVETUS, a Spaniard, was the greatest influence of the Acts twomessage during the sixteenth and seventeenth century for all of Europe and Asia. He was putto death in Geneva for denying Rome's Trinity theory. Servetus died in Jesus Name, andCalvin murdered him in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.(R. Bainton, p. 298).SERVETUS studied law. He later became medical doctor. He was also a preacher. He found problems with the Trinity theory. In fact he wrote a book, "On The Errors of The Trinity" that was published in Hagenow, near Strasbough in 1531. His book was wide spread before itcould be censored. He had to change his name after writing his book. Under cover he had anassumed name and he practiced medicine in Lyons. He corresponded with John Calvin.Calvins views were the same as Luthers. Calvin told the Catholics the location of Servetusand they had him arrested. Calvin encouraged the court to find him guilty of capitol crime.Servetus was sentenced to be burned at the stake. The charges were that he did not believe inthe Trinity, nor infant baptism. (See: "After the Way called Heresy, by Thomas Weisser, pp.70-74)AD 1501 Catholics started slavery in the Americas.AD 1521 Luther rejected Biblical Pentecostalism! (Knox, "Enthusiasm", pp.134,135).AD 1531 Luther agreed to the deth penalty in order to annihilate Anabaptist bodies andJews. (Bainton, p. 279; p. Lapide, "Three Popes and the Jews, p. 25) It appears that Luther was not as sincere about Bible truth as historians and some Christian groups indicate. Forinstance Mr. Luther fully discused the Acts 2 message with the Apostolics all around him. He rejected it. (See: "Martin Luther," by J. Dillengerger, p. 279; Knox , pp. 134-135).AD 1571 Phillip II martyred about 3,000,000 non-Catholics in the Netherlands. (Thompson,p. 187).AD 1600-1700Antibaptist groups continued to grow. Sabellianism was throughout Europe. Many pious clergymen were prepared to lay aside doctrinal differences and become true Apostolic Moravian Oneness. (G. H. Williams, pp. 656,698,670). It would be great if they could do that today!Frances Cornwell was one of the most educated Baptist in England during this period. Heobtained a Master of Arts degree from Emanuel College. He was also trained at Cambridge. He was a vicar with the Church of England. He said, "The Lord opened the eyes of my understandings about the Acts 2:38 message." ("Two Oueries, p. 5) He wrote extensively andeloquently in defence of Biblical doctrines. Yet he is almost totally ignored by Baptist historians.AD 1662 English citizens, meaning Holy Ghost filled Quakers, were deported from England,and sold as salves to rich Spanish Catholic families on plantations in Barbados and Jamaica.These pious glossolalists were sold under the "Conventicle and Five Mile Act. (J.H. Blunt, p.465,466).AD 1611 the King James Bible was printed. There were 47 scholars appointed astranslators. All were Trinitarians, most were Englishmen. They worked for 7 years on thetranslation.AD 1650-1670 Quietism outbreak, in which 60,000 ex-Catholics experienced Pentecostal glossolalia (speaking in tongues). (Knox, p. 243).AD 1700-1800Acts two message continued to spread world wide. Holy Ghost revivals were breaking out all over.AD 1728-1731 there were 600 recorded Miracles! (Knox, pp. 372-376). There was a 100 yearprayer meeting started. (A. K. Curtis, "Christ History" Vol. 2, No. 1, p.18) Knox wrote about England being a Pentecostal Babel.AD 1734 Rev. John Wesley and Charles Wesley, went to the Moravian Christians fordoctrine. Both turned to Moravianism (One God Apostolics). They witnessed Pentecostalism among in Georgia. (Knox, pp. 466-469).AD 1772 A Holy Ghost outpouring was in Sweden.AD 1774 on August 6, ANN LEE imported tongues speaking into the US and it spread. (E.D.Andrews,pp.15-19). William Penn brought tongues to America in 1677. (See: "After the Way Called Heresy by, Thomas Weisser)During this century the Catholics and Lutherans killed each other. AD 1733 Thousandsof Catholics defected to the state of Georgia, USA and found Holy Ghost salvation. There were many healings and miracles. In 1762, the French government forbade miracles. There wereuncountable miracles. (R.A. Knox, pp. 373-388).In 1774 John Wesley lost 400 Methodist to Jesus Name Moravians in London. (R.A. Knox, p.476).AD 1800-1900 Why didn't we hear more about Apostolics during the 19th century, is a question often asked? As you recall in this study we found that Waldo and Luther set the trend to compromise to Rome's Trinity Doctrine and ignored the Acts two doctrine. Then Protestant Trinitarian influence lured the greater numbers. Many Christian organizations turned to Trinity doctrine.In 1835, Lowell, Ohio, had a Acts 2:38 Church of Camisardds. (Rev. Joe Nelson, Ph.D.,W.VA., had the records)In 1850 Dan Huntington, Boston, Mass. baptized converts according to Acts 2:38. (V. Synan,p. 163).In 1854 there was a 10 year long revival in Lebanon, NY and thousands became Spirit filled.Same thing happened in Canada.In 1856 more than 160,000 tongues speakers in America. (Blunt, p. 467). Many otherdocumented Holy Ghost groups were in America during this century.AD 1804 Napoleon fought the Vatican. He seized papal lands and restricted papal rule. Headvocated, "Destroy Rome and the papacy." (M. Martin, "The Decline & Fall of the RomCh." p. 236).July 15, 1834 the Catholic Inquisition ended. America was about 250 years old at that time.In the 601 years it is estimated that 68,000,000 persons were put to death by the Inquisition.(C. Roth, p.267; Berstein & Green, p. 237 as to dates). Bull fights had its origin after the Inquisition ended. The people had were used to watching brutal murder so bull fights werethe next best thing.In 1861 the Civil War started and President Lincoln started to abolish human enslavement.The war ended in 1864. In 1900 there were 76,000,000 people in America.AD 1900+In 1884-1904 Rev.Alvin E. Velie, of Florida, used the Acts 2:38 message and saw thousands filled with the Holy Ghost.

MONOTHEISTS

In History we read that the trinity was coined by Tertullian in 197 AD from Pagan Plato's work "Timaeus".It was adopted formally as doctrine in 325 AD at Nicene.Almost every church accepts this theory on God as doctrine or teaches it.But what does history say?Let's see! 115 AD....IGNATIUS...Pastor at Antioch (Turkey) was pre-trintitarian and had no logos doctrine (the greek logos concept was of a logos or Word being), he was never recognized by any of the great trinitarian writers, he said.."Our God, Jesus the Christ, was conceived in the womb of Mary.....There is one God who manifested himself through Jesus Christ.." Slowly trinity was introduced first in baptism by Justin Martry 90-165AD then in Godhead.140 AD....JUSTIN MARTYR....said..." Jesus was 2nd and that "us" of Gen. 3:22 was the 2nd devine person.."For I would not say that the dogma of that heresy (sect) which is said to be among us is true, or that the teachers of it can prove that God spoke to angels.." He 1st mentioned "Trinity" in 140 AD.(7 years after his conversion to Christianity) He expounded the Greek idea of Logos, derived from Plato, as a devine person through whom God (another devine Person) created and arranged all things. He gave the1st trinitarian water baptism reference.."For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of the Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water."180 AD. Theophilus, Syrian Bishop of Antioch, mentions the term, "Trinity."200 AD. TERTULLIAN ..... "The Son I derive from no other source but from the substance of the Father. The Spirit is third from God and the Son." (a disciple of Justin Martyr's) Even Tertullian admitted that the "simple people..who always are a majority of the faithful..shy at the economy (ie..distinction of persons). ....."and indeed it (immersion) is not once only, but three times, that we are immersed into the Three Persons, at each several mention of their names.Now there was opposition from Acts2:38 and Deuteronomy6:4 churches, to this error filled doctrine.180 AD.. NOETUS.. had a confrontation with Smyrna Presbyters (in Asia Minor) for preaching Jesus Christ was God, contrary to trinitarians...He said, "the Father took flesh of Mary and became son. The son was the Manhood, the Father was the Godhead."200 AD....PRAXEAS...(the following are Tertullian's words about what Praxeas believed) ...."As in respect to the O.T., they hold to nothing else but "I am God and there is none other beside me, so in respect to the gospel they defend the response of the Lord to Phillip.."I and the Father are one, he who seeth me seeth also the Father" and again "I am in the Father and the Father in me". He (Praxeas) asserts that Jesus Christ is God and Father Almighty....so that all in one person they (the Praxeans) distinguish two, Father and Son, understanding the Son to be the flesh , that is man, that is Jesus, and the Father to be Spirit, that is God, that is Christ."....Praxeas views were said to be those of the majority of the Christians of that day.210 AD... ZEPHYRINUS...Bishop of Rome..."The Father did not die but the Son....I know one God, Christ Jesus, begotten and susceptible of suffering and beside him I know no other." 215 AD....SABELLIUS...Preached in North Africa & the Middle East..(Gregory Thaumaturgas says of Sabellius) ...."But some treat the Holy Trinity in an awful manner, when they confidently assert there are not three persons...Wherefore we clear ourselves of Sabellius, who says the Father and the Son are the same.".....He asserted that Father, Son and Holy Ghost were not distinct persons but modes of one divine person...hence the term modalistic monarchianism. 217 AD. Rome, Italy .... after the church split, Jesus name believers were allowd for a times to enter the Rome Church, even though the church practiced Trinity.272 AD....PAUL of SAMOSATA.... (SYRIA) was ousted as Pastor of the Antioch Church in Syria by the Trinity believers. Accusations against him included: ....striking his thigh and stamping the platform when preaching, ...his congregation frequently clapping hands, ....waving hankerchiefs, ....shouting, ....dancing, or ....leaping during the preaching.325 AD....COUNCIL OF NICEA .... required all Oneness, Monotheistic, or Jesus Name believers to be rebaptized for re-ordination or have their property confiscated; thus oneness beleivers went underground.330 AD... MARCELLUS of Ancyra...he attacked Eusebius of Caesarea(see next note) by saying, " ...(He) is said to conceived God as one and believed that the one God expanded himself in the offices of Son and Holy Ghost and at the end of time there will be no distinction between these offices, and God will be all in all" ...he opposed Arianism (Jesus simply a man).340 AD.... EUSEBIUS of CAESAREA...cites Matthew 28:19 eighteen times in his writings prior to the 325 AD. council of Nicea. His quotes before the council read, ...."Go ye and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in my name, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you. The phrase "in the name of the Father, and of the Son , and of the Holy Ghost." did not appear in Eusebius' writings until after the 325 AD. council.
HISTORY TELLS THE TRUTH

Now I have heard every reason possible not to baptize in Jesus name from the thief on the cross (Baptism is into the death,burial, and rising of Christ-Rom6:4) to it was meant for only Jews (Then why did Cornelius an Italian gentile get baptized into Jesus name in Acts10:36-48?) to the disciples were disobedient to Mathew 28:19 (The father's name was Jesus-John5:43 and the son was Jesus-Mathew1:21 and the Holy Spirit came in Jesus name-John14:26) but then why did the gifts,signs,and miracles follow on disobedient believers (As promised by Jesus to his followers in Luke24:45-47 and Mark16:15-17 then given in Acts2 onward?)-they would not of.We should not continue in sin that grace may abound wrote Paul in Galatians.Do you know of any Christian dileberately walking in sin, healing someone.I do not.In fact Peter rebuked Simon though baptized into Jesus name but wishing to purchase the gift that Peter had in Acts8.Now somebody said that we are saved by grace.And we are Ephesians2:8-10 states were are saved by grace thru faith and created unto good works in Christ Jesus and ordained to walk in them.So while though all have sinned and fallen short of perfection and nobody can work their way into heaven.And Jesus died for all of our sins,Hebrew9:22.It is our faith and obedience that clears our conscience making us right in God's view,1Pet3:21 and Col2:10-12.By grace we have the opportunity to obey God.It is like when I call and you answer and nothing more.But what is grace.God's unearned favor reflected in one's life.The advocates of the sinner's prayer fail to see that in itself is a work.It is a realatively new creation in Christianity, within the last 150 years or so.Now jesus commanded baptism in his name in Luke24:45-47 and to disobey it means lack of faith Mark16:16.Faith without works or fruits is dead and useless says James2:19-26 and in Hebrews11 every example of faith did works showing it!2 King5:14 speaks of Naaman who was sent to be cleansed of his disease to Isreal and was told to wash himself seven times in the Jordan River by the man of God.He at first was angry and refused saying he expected the man of God to call upon his God and simply remove the Leprosy.And as many that want to call upon God alone (Romans10:13) saying like the devils we believe in God in our hearts (James2:19) but they are not saved.That every person in the bible whether Paul Acts22 or the Eunuch Acts8 who did this were baptized by immersion in Jesus name.Acts22:16 which commands us to call upon the Lord Jesus and washing away our sins without waiting like many Catholics who previously practiced and taught in this in 2nd thru 6th centuries.And such as Constantine who was baptized on his deathbed.His servant then reasoned with him saying if God asked something difficult would of you not done it.Of course he would of!Yet his servant said how much easier than wash and be clean at that he obeyed and was made clean by obeying.If your atleast honest with yourself there you will admit that there is not one baptism in the titles in the word of God.If that is our guide and compass then we must conclude that since all baptisms were in Jesus name that has to be the bible way to do it.Of course I could use Col3:17 as my closing scripture which says do all words and deeds in the name of Jesus.Again Paul who baptized others in Jesus name,Acts16:15733,18:8, and 19:1-5 and was baptized into Jesus name by Ananais in Acts22:16&9:18 said this:"For as many of you that have been baptized into Christ have put him on in",Gal3:27.Jesus our example in all was baptized by John in Mathew3:12-17 and Mark1:9, walking 70 miles to do it.I don't believe anyone walks that great distance just for show.Never did he speak in unknown tongues, pray a sinner's prayer (Again he being sinless did not need such.But he was baptized to be our example for what we need to do as the book of Hebrews shows us also.) or simply say "Just Believe" to anyone.There are novels written though fiction from Thecla a 2nd century presbyter in Asia minor who wrote that baptism was in the name of Jesus.This proves the practice alive and well still.Furthermore the Early Catholic fathers all thought that baptism saved you by the washing and regeneration.Post apostolic fathers all taught that baptism "confers forgiveness of sins" from Barnabas to Iraneus the Bishop of lyons and even the book The Shepard of Hermas records this.Tertullian clearly believed this also.Pope Stephen declared baptism in Jesus name to be valid in the 3rd century.Bishop Ursinus in Treastie of Baptism declared it correct as only Heretics needed rebaptism and those baptized into Jesus needed not to be rebaptized but only to be baptized with the Holy Ghost.Even though the church which baptized them had other false doctrinal views.The Justinian code of 529 declared the death penalty for anti-trinity baptisms and all those rebaptized into Jesus name.Thomas Edwards in 1646 said True baptism was only in Jesus name and it was heresy to baptize into the titles father,son,and spirit.And I say if we can heal, pray and do miracles in Jesus name why not baptize into it (Mathew7:20-27)?

This article is based on a publication which was originally written in 1961 and titled " A Collection of the Evidence For and Against the Traditional Wording of the Baptismal Phrase in Matthew 28:19 ". The author was a minister, presumably Protestant. He signed his work simply as A. Ploughman. He lived in Birmingham, England. The author had not encountered anything dealing with the authenticity of Matthew 28:19, during his 50 years of Biblical study except from out of print articles, books and encyclopaedias. I would have never considered reviewing this information except for the fact that a trusted friend was quite zealous about the importance of the conclusions reached. In this article, only the secular historical quotations have been retained as written from Ploughman's research. However, it must be remembered that we have no known manuscripts that were written in the first, second or even the third centuries. There is a gap of over three hundred years between when Matthew wrote his epistle and our earliest manuscript copies. (It also took over three hundred years for the Catholic Church to evolve into what the "early church fathers" wanted it to become.) No single early manuscript is free from textual error. Some have unique errors; other manuscripts were copied extensively and have the same errors. Again, our aim is to examine all of the evidence and determine as closely as possible what the original words were. Considering the fact that all of the scriptures from Genesis thru Malachi make no reference to a Trinitarian God, and that from Mark thru Revelation we also find no evidence for a Trinity, we must consider the possibility that all the existing manuscripts may have one or more textual errors in common. Again quoting from the Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics: "In all extant versions the text is found in the traditional [Trinitarian] form. ..though it must be remembered that the best manuscripts, both of the African Old Latin and of the Old Syriac Versions are defective at this point." So then, though all early Versions contain the traditional Triune name in Matthew 28:19, the earliest of these Versions do not contain the verse at all. And curiously, not due to omission, but due to removal! We can not be certain of the motives why these pages were destroyed, but for the sake of our study we are now compelled to consult the early historical writings.Before we make references concerning these early writers, it should be emphatically stated, that if the question under consideration were one of doctrine, the written records of these Catholic writers would be totally irrelevant. Doctrine must be obtained from the pure Word of God alone, and not from Catholics, Jews or other sources. These self proclaimed "fathers" lived in an age of unrestrained heresy. Their testimony is valuable only because they provide an incidental and independent verification of scriptural texts much older than our current complete copies.Our first witness will be Eusebius of Caesurae, also known as Eusebius Pamphili. He was born around 270 A.D., and died around 340 A.D. He lived in times of rampant doctrinal change, was a Trinitarian, and in later life assisted in the formation of the Nicene Creed. Regarding our inquiry into Matthew 28:19, Eusebius is our key witness. Therefore, to establish his veracity as a credible witness, let us consider the following quotes:"Eusebius of Caesurae, to whom we are indebted for the preservation of so many contemporary works of antiquity, many of which would have perished had he not collected and edited them." Robert Roberts, in Good Company, vol. III, pg. 10 Eusebius, the greatest Greek teacher of the Church and most learned theologian of his time. .. worked untiringly for the acceptance of the pure Word of the New Testament as it came from the Apostles. .. Eusebius. .. relies throughout only upon ancient manuscripts, and always openly confesses the truth when he cannot find sufficient testimony. E.K. in the Christadelphian Monatshefte, Aug, 1923 from Mosheim, in an editorial footnote. Eusebius cites this text (Matt. 28:19) again and again in works written between 300 and 336, namely in his long commentaries on the Psalms, on Isaiah, his Demonstratio Evangelica, his Theophany. .. in his famous history of the Church, and in his panegyric of the emperor Constantine. I have, after a moderate search in these works of Eusebius, found eighteen citations of Matthew 28:19, and always in the following form:'Go ye and make disciples of all the nations in My name, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you. 'It is evident that this was the text found by Eusebius in the very ancient codices collected fifty to a hundred and fifty years before his birth by his great predecessors. Of any other form of text he had never heard and knew nothing until he had visited Constantinople and attended the Council of Nice. Then in two controversial works written in his extreme old age, and entitled, the one 'Against Marcellus of Ancyra,' and the other 'About the Theology of the Church,' he used the common reading. One other writing of his also contains it, namely a letter written after the Council of Nice was over, to his seer of Caesurae.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. "(1 Thessalonians 5:21) In this verse, the Greek word translated as "prove" is dokimazo, and it means, "to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), to recognize as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy. "

In our efforts to determine which reading of Matthew 28:19 is original, we will submit both renderings to ten "tests". In doing so, we will be able to recognize the genuine, and expose the spurious.

1. The Test of Context

When examining the context, we find that today's Trinitarian wording lacks logical syntax, that is, the true understanding of the verse is obscured by a failure of the varying concepts to harmonize. If however, we read as follows, the whole context fits together and the progression of the instructions is comprehensible:

All power is given unto me. .. go therefore. .. make disciples in my name, teaching them. .. whatsoever I have commanded. .. I am with you. .. (Matthew 28:18-20)

2. The Test of Frequency

Is the phrase "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" used elsewhere in the scripture? Not once.

Did Jesus use the phrase "in my name" on other occasions? Yes, 17 times to be exact, examples are found in Matt. 18:20; Mark 9:37,39 and 41; Mark 16:17; John 14:14 and 26; John 15:16 and 16:23.

3. The Test of Doctrine

Is any doctrine or concept of scripture based on an understanding of a threefold name, or of baptism in the threefold name? None whatsoever. Is any statement in scripture based on the fact of baptism in the name of Jesus? Yes! This is clarified in 1 Corinthians 1:13:"Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" These words, when carefully analyzed, suggest that believers should to be baptized in the name of the One who was crucified for them. The Father, in His unfathomable love, gave us His only Son to die in our stead, He being later raised to incorruptibility by the Spirit of God. But it is the Lord Jesus Himself who was crucified, and therefore in His name believers must be baptized in water.

According to Dr. Thomas, in Revealed Mystery Article XLIV:

There is but one way for a believer of 'the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ' to put Him on, or to be invested with His name, and that is, by immersion into His name. Baptism is for this specific purpose. " "As for it's significance, baptism is linked inseparably with the death of Christ. It is the means of the believer's identification with the Lord's death. - God's Way, pg. 190. The Father did not die, nor the Holy Spirit. As the scripture says, "buried with Him (Jesus) in baptism," not with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Romans 6:3-5)

R. Roberts used this explanation in "The Nature of Baptism", page 13):

According to trine immersion, it is not sufficient to be baptized into the Son. Thus Christ is displaced from His position as the connecting link, the door of entrance, the 'new and living way. ' And thus there are three names under heaven whereby we must be saved, in opposition to the apostolic declaration, that 'there is none other name (than the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth) under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. '(Acts 4:12).

This, of course, is the same reasoning offered by Paul. Were ye baptized in the name of Paul? Or in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or in any other name that replaces Christ from His position as the sacrificial Lamb and the only name given to us for salvation?

Based on the above understanding alone, we can ascertain the genuine text of Matthew 28:19 confirming the use of the phrase, "in my name."

4. The Test of Analogy

Does any other scripture make reference to baptism in the Triune name? No. Does any other scripture reference baptism in the name of Jesus? Yes! The Father baptized the disciples with the gift of the Holy Spirit, a promise that came according to Jesus "in His name. "(John 14:26) This is because Jesus is the "common denominator " [Literally:Name] in both water baptism and baptism of the Holy Spirit, as made apparent by the following scriptures:

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away:for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (See also John 7:39).

Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Notice that they were baptized as a result of the preaching of the name of Jesus Christ, not the titles "Father, Son and Holy Ghost." By analogy, we should therefore be baptized in Jesus' name, because the invoking of His Name is the catalyst of understanding that prepares us for the baptism of the Spirit, which is also given in His name. (Acts 2:38-39, 19:1-5, John 3:3-5)

5. The Test of Consequence

When we are baptized, do we "put on" the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost? No. Do we put on the name of Jesus? Yes. When we are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, according to all baptismal accounts recorded in scripture, we are quite literally being baptized "into" the name of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

No mention is made in scripture of any baptism being related to the titles of Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Every actual account mentions a clear connection with the person of Christ, and His atoning sacrifice.

6. The Test of Practice

Did the disciples, as they were implementing the "Great Commission" ever once baptize into the Trinity? Never! Did they baptize in the name of Jesus? Always! (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48 (inferred); 19:5, etc.) The argument has been made when defending Triune immersion; "I would rather obey Jesus, than to imitate the Apostles." This kind of reasoning though, places the Apostles in rebellion, and makes all Apostolic baptisms contrary to the word of God. If all of God's Word was inspired, and it was, then we should not try to pit one verse against another, but rather seek to reconcile all of God's Word in proper context, and rightly apply it to our lives. It is easier to believe that the disciples followed the final instructions of Christ, than to believe that they immediately disobeyed His command.

7. The Test of Significance

What significance is mentioned in scripture for baptizing believers in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost? None. What significance is conveyed toward being baptized in the name of Jesus? First, scripture teaches that baptism in the name of Jesus is an act of repentance leading to the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Second, baptism in His name alone is associated with the promise of God's Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, 19:1-5). Third, baptism in the name of Jesus is compared to our personal willingness to be living sacrifices or even die with Christ. (Romans 6:1-4 and Colossians 2:12). Fourth, being baptized into Christ is how we 'put on' Christ (Galatians 3:27). Fifth, baptism in His name is called the "circumcision of Christ," and reflects our "putting off" of the man of sin, therefore becoming a " new creature in Christ Jesus. " (Colossians 2:11-12, 2 Corinthians 5:17). Baptism in the name of Jesus expresses faith in the physical life of Jesus, the crucifixion of the Son of God for our sins, and the remission of sins through His name. Trinitarian baptism can only express faith in Catholic theology itself.

8. The Test of Parallel Accounts

Matthew 28 is not the sole record in the gospels of the "Great Commission" of the Church. Luke also recorded this event in great detail. In Luke 24:46-47, he wrote of Jesus speaking in the third person:"And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nation s. "This passage alone, in contradiction to the falsified text, establishes the correct wording of Matthew 28:19, where Jesus spoke in the first person, "in my name. "Further, the Gospel of Mark also records another version of the "Great Commission," using some of the same patterns of speech:"Go ye. .. all the world. .. preach the gospel. .. every creature. .. baptized. .. in my name. .. "(Mark 16:15-18) Of course, it is not baptism that "in my name" refers to here, but rather the works that the disciples would do. Yet compared to Matthew, the similarity is striking, for neither is baptism explicitly mentioned there, but that disciples should be made, "in my name. "

9. The Test of Complimentary Citation

While there is no text that offers a complimentary citation of Trinitarian baptism, there is a striking resemblance between the actual wording of Matthew 28:18-20 and Romans 1:4-5. Matthew contains the Commission of Christ to His Apostles, while the Romans account is Paul's acceptance of his own commission as an apostle. Consider the following similarities:

Matthew 28:18-20........................................Romans 1:4-5

"all power is given unto Me". ....................... "the Son of God with power"

"Go ye". ...................................................... "received. .. apostleship"

"teaching them to observe". .......................... "for obedience to the faith"

"all nations". ................................................. "all nations"

"in My name". ............................................... "for His name"

10. The Test of Principle

It is written:"whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. .." (Colossians 3:17). In this principle laid down by Paul, the implication is clear. The word "whatsoever" would of certain necessity include baptism, which is a command involving both word and deed. The traditional wording of Matthew, containing the Trinitarian wording, is clearly not in accordance with the above principle. The shorter wording, without the falsified insertion, follows this principle. This establishes which of the two wordings is the contradictory one. God's Word does not contradict itself; rather it compliments and completes itself. Paul not only expressed this principle, but he applied it specifically to the topic of baptism. In Acts 19:1-6 there is an account concerning the disciples of John who had been baptized under his ministry. Like baptism in Jesus' name, John's baptism was one of repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4, Acts 2:38). John message, which accompanied his baptism, was that One would come after him, who would "take away the sins of the world" and "baptize with the Holy Spirit. "Paul introduced these disciples to that One, and applied the above principle re-baptized them. "When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them" And so, applying the test of principle to our two readings in Matthew 28:19, we find very strong support for the phrase "in My name".
bump
I keep bumping these threads up because they are relevant to truth.. Most everybody on this network post the imagination of their own hearts, and not the Word of God.. Nobody cares for your opinions of the Word.. Post the scriptures of the Precept you are teaching if you are a real teacher.... This is for anybody who post their own thouts of the Word.. Here is the purpose of man: TO BECOME ONE BODY, AND ONE MIND CALLED ISRAEL , TO BE GODS IN JERUSALEM. SOME RULING WITH CHRIST, AND SOME TO ETERNAL DAMNATION..
Amen Ben! The word of God should have enough authority in ones life To take each scripture as is for what it says.
Isaiah 28:10-11 (King James Version)

10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

11For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.


Isaiah 28:12-14 (King James Version)

12To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

13But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

14Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
Yes Ma'am Amen!!!
I bind you SATAN In Jesus Name!
Leave this forum in the name of Jesus CHrist... You have an evil Spirit upon you... A Jazebel Spirit, who needs to get attention... Needs to have their name in the reply column... I rebuke you in the name of Jesus Christ...!!!!!
Leave this forum in the name of Jesus CHrist... You have an evil Spirit upon you... A Jazebel Spirit, who needs to get attention... Needs to have their name in the reply column... I rebuke you in the name of Jesus Christ...!!!!!
I have your IP Address, and I am going to send you a virus, so please stay on line so I can upload it to your IP Address..

Della, Jesus is a man made name.  His true Hebrew name is Yahoshua.  There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby WE MUST be saved and that name is Yahoshua.  A translated different name is not the name of salvation.  Yahoshua was the name spoken from the angel when they told it to Miriam. (not Mary)  Even Yahoshua himself told Paul (Sha'ul) his name in the Hebrew tongue.  The name Jesus is actually a false name which in Latin means, Earth Pig (swine)  Acts 26:14-15  The image of christ that is circulating is actually that of a gay man Cesare Borgia.  His dad the pope commissioned Leonardo da Vinci to paint a picture of his gay son to represent Jesus (Yahoshua)  Not only was his name changed but they also changed his ethnicity.  They did not believe that white Christians would want to serve a black Jesus (Yahoshua) so they pulled the old switchero on the world.  I would suggest you do some research on what I am saying as to not be lead in deception by religion.

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